Sea scooter



y 1945- F. J. HORTON 2,379,526

SEA SCOOTER Filed Sept.'4, 1944 z 27 INVENTOR.

FRANK u. HORTON mg Arron/MY Patented July 3, 1945 I UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE SEAVSCOOTERV Frank J. Horton, Detroit, Mich. I Application se'ptember 4, 1944, ser al No. 552,699

6 Claims.

lyiy invention. relates to a new and useful improvement in a self-propelled float. The invention comprises a supporting body sufficiently buoyant to support the weight of a single person'in the water. This body is of sufficient length topermit a person to lie lengthwise onthe body and it is an object of the present invention to provide means whereby the person, while lying on the supporting body, may effect its propulsion through water.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a device of this kind a propelling mechanism so arranged and constructed that when in operation it will simulate and function similar to the tail of a fish when the same is being whipped from side to side.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in a device of this type of a propelling. paddle mounted on a swingable arm and swing-.

ably mounted on the arm and provided with resilient means for normally resisting its swinging in either direction and tending to restore it to its original position,

Another object of the invention is the provision in a device of this kind of a propelling modifications may be made in the detail of structure illustrated without departing from the invention itself and it is intended that such'variations and modifications shall be encompassed within the scope of the claims 'forming a part hereof.

Forming a part of this specification is a drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plane view of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plane View of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary; side elevational view of the invention, slightly enlarged;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plane view, slightly enlarged, of certain parts with'parts broken away and parts shown in section;

Fig, 6 is "a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; g I

Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on line, l- -l of Fig. 5; v I

Fig. 8 is a bottom plane view of the invention showing the mechanism in one position of operation,

In the drawing, I have shown the device. embodying a supporting body having the top I 5 and [5 is provided a mat l8 and a window 19 is iormednthrough the body. Openings 20 and 2| are formed inthe body through which the operators foot may project when desired. Mount-g ed on the keel I! is a supportingbracket 22. A tube 23 is. provided with a head 24 which is pivotally mounted on the bracket 22, the tube extending" longitudinally of the body. Positioned within the, tube 23 and attached thereto at one end is a spring- 25, the opposite end of which is attached to a rod 26 which is pivotally connected to a bar 34 which is formed forked to provide the attaching plates 32and 33 which are secured to opposite sides of a propelling paddle 3|. Thetube 23 is "cut" away at'opposite sides of its rearend to provide the springing apart tongues 35"and 36. Secured toand'projecting upwardly from the tongue 36 is a rod 23 about which is curled the knuckle 35 formed from the paddle 3|. Projecting downwardly from' the tongue 35 and secured thereto is a rod 21 around which is curled the knuckle 2 9 formed from the paddle 3! so that the, member 3| is thus pivotally'mounted on the rods 21 and 28 which are in axial alignment. Itfwill be 'noted'that the bar 34 projects rearwardly beyondthe forward end of the paddle 3i and beyond 'the'pointof pivot'of the paddle 3|. i 'j I Secured to andprojecting outwardly from'the head 24 at opposite sides thereof are the arms 38and 39. The arm 38 is pivotally connected to one end of a rod 45, the opposite endof which is slidably projected through a guide bracket 4| depending from the bottom it. Pivotally connected to theend of the arm 39 is one end of a bar 42, the opposite end of which is slidably pro-'- jected through ajguide bracket.v 43 depending from the bottom l6. Fixedly mounted on these bars 40. andj42 in 'registration'with 2| and 22 are foot pedals44; V f

The construction issuch that when a person is lying prone on the top 15,1 thefeet may be projected -throughtlie openings 20 and 2| to engage the pedals 44 and these pedals may be alternately pushed rearwardly so asfto rock'the arms 38 and 39.1 As these arms 38' andj39 rock, the tube, 23,,isswung to one side of the other. As it swing to one side, the resistance of the water will efiectfa swinging'oi the paddle 3'! on its pivot,

as'shown in'Fig. 8. This swinging of the paddle 3| on its pivot will be against the tension o'f'the spring 25. The swinging'of the paddle "in; this manner will efiecta' forward movementv of the"- 'supportihg body. Because the spring isv under tension when the tube 23 reaches its limit of swinging to either sidefthe' spring will efiecta further movement of the paddle after the tube the openings 23 has ceased moving so that the spring would bring the paddle, in the view shown in Fig. 8, over farther until it was in alignment with the tube 23. This function will take place upon the swinging of the tube toeither. side. While the swinging of the tube and paddle to either side effects a forward propulsion of the supporting body, the spring action on the paddle itself, after. the limit of swinging of the tube 23 is reached, will add a further impulse to the forward movement and lend a sort of kick, thus consider.- ably increasing the efficiency of the device as a propelling mechanism. It is believed obvious that a structure such as described is one which may afford considerable entertainment and amusement to the user while, at the same time, affording means for propellin ones self over a body of water.

What I claim as new is:

-1. A device of the class described, comprising: a supporting body having a pair of openings formed therethrough adjacent one end; a pivotally mounted, rocking beam on the bottom of said body; a pair of rods each pivotally connected at one end to the outer end of said beam and projected slidably across said openings; 2. foot-engaging member carried by each of said rods for effecting a rocking of said beam; a supporting arm fixedly mounted on said beam and projecting outwardly therefrom; and a propelling paddle swingably mounted on said supporting arm and extending outwardly therefrom.

2. A device of the class described, comprising: a supporting body having a pair of openings formed therethrough adjacent one end; a pivotally mounted, rocking beam on the bottom of said body; a pair of rods each pivotally connected at one end to the outer endof said beam and projected'slidably across said openings; a foot-engaging member carried by each of said rods for effecting a rocking of said beam; a supporting arm fixedly mounted on said beam and projecting outwardly therefrom; apropelling paddle swin ably mounted on said supporting arm and extending outwardly therefrom; and resilient means normally resisting swinging movement of said paddle and tending normally to maintain said paddle in longitudinal, axial alignment with said supporting arm.

3. A device of'the class described, comprising: a supporting body of sufficient buoyancy to support a person in the water and having adjacent one end a pair of openings formed therethrough; a supporting arm pivotally mounted on the bottom of said body and extending rearwardly thereof; a propelling paddle pivotally mounted on the free end of said supporting arm and projecting outwardly therefrom; a laterally projecting arm on the pivoted end of said supporting arm and projecting outwardly from opposite sides thereof; connecting members each pivotally connected to the end of each of said laterally projecting arms and slidably projected across said openings; and foot-engaging means mounted-on each of said connecting means and' accessible through said openings whereby a person on said body may through engagement with the feet effect a swinging of said supporting arm.

4. A device of the class described, comprising; a supporting body of sufficient buoyancy to supone end a pair of openingsformed therethrough; afsupporting arm pivotallymounted on the bottom of said body and extending rearwardly thereof; a propelling paddle pivotally mounted on the free end of said supporting arm and projecting outwardly therefrom; a laterally projecting arm on the pivoted end of said suppl ting arm and projecting outwardly from opposite sides thereof; connectin members each pivotally connected to the end of each of said laterally projectin arms and slidably projected across said openlngs; foot-engaging means mounted on each of said connecting means and accessible through said openings whereby a person on said body may through engagement with the feet effect a swinging of said supporting arm; and resilient means for normally resisting swinging movement of said paddle and tending to maintain the same in longitudinal, axial alignment with said sup-,

porting arm.

5. In a device of the classdescribed: a supporting body having a pair of openings formed.

projecting arms each secured at one of it ends to the end of said tubular member and projectin outwardly therefrom; connectingrods each pivotally connected at one end to the outer end of each of said laterally projecting arms and slidably projected across said openings; footengaging means on each of said connecting rods, the said openings accessible to the foot of a person on said body for effecting a swinging of said tubular member from one side to the other; a propelling paddle pivotally mountedon the free end of said tubular member and projecting outwardly therefrom and swingable on its pivot relatively thereto; and resilient means normally tending to resist swinging movement of said paddle on its pivot and to restore said paddle to its normal position after swinging movement on its pivot.

6. In a device of the class described: a supporting body having a pair of openings formed therethrough; a tubular member swingably mounted on the bottom of said body and extending rearwardly thereof; a pair of laterally projecting arms each secured at one of its ends to the end of said tubular member and projecting outwardly therefrom; connecting, rods each pivotally connected at one end to the outer end of each of said laterally projecting, arms and slidably, projected across said openings; foot-v engaging means on each of said connecting rods,

ing between said tongues; and a sprin in said tube connected at one end in fixed relation to said tube and at its opposite end to the con 'port a person in the water and'having adjacent necting member on said paddle for normally resisting swinging movement of said paddle on. its

pivot end and for restoring said paddle to normal position after swinging movement on its 

